Good evening, New York City. We’re wrapping up the day for you with the most important stories you need to know about for tonight and tomorrow, as well as your weather outlook.
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A pop-up storm is possible this evening.
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Lows: Upper 60s
Highs: Upper 80s
Mostly clear
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Today’s Big Stories
1. Hochul, Mamdani push tax on luxury second homes in New York City
Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani today unveiled a proposed tax on luxury second homes in the city.
The tax would apply to one- to three-family homes, condominiums and co-ops worth $5 million or more and owned by homeowners with a primary residence outside the five boroughs, City Hall said in a press release.
2. SantaCon head charged with running ‘con game,’ pocketing $1M in proceeds
A popular SantaCon charity fundraiser that floods New York City with thousands of inebriated young people in red and white Santa costumes every holiday season was true to its name: a con, federal authorities said as they arrested its organizer.
Stefan Pildes, 50, of Hewitt, New Jersey, was arrested today and awaited an appearance in Manhattan federal court, where an indictment charging him with wire fraud was unsealed.
3. Commuters shocked by reports of $100 NJ Transit fares for World Cup
A New York Times report that NJ Transit is planning to charge more than $100 for a return trip during the World Cup has left many commuters at Penn station shocked.
The journey from MetLife Stadium to Penn Station usually costs $12.90. But according to the Times report, sources familiar with the plans say NJ Transit is planning to charge seven times as much to get home to the city from the event.
4. Jury selection starts for Harvey Weinstein’s latest retrial in New York rape case
After years of #MeToo infamy, legal peril and prison, Harvey Weinstein is again going on trial on a rape charge in New York City.
Jury selection started Tuesday in the onetime movie mogul’s latest retrial, where jurors will weigh — for the third time — whether he raped hairstylist and Jessica Mann in a Manhattan hotel in 2013.
5. Mediators move closer to extending U.S.-Iran ceasefire, officials tell AP
Mediators moved closer today to extending the ceasefire between the United States and Iran and restarting negotiations to salvage the fragile truce before it expires next week. A senior Iranian military official threatened to halt trade in the region if the U.S. does not lift its naval blockade.
The U.S. blockade on Iranian ports and renewed Iranian threats have imperiled the week-old agreement, but regional officials said they were making progress, telling The Associated Press that the United States and Iran had an “in principle agreement” to extend it to allow for more diplomacy.
6. Pope doubles down on message of peace and unity as Trump’s criticism continues
Pope Leo XIV today doubled down as President Donald Trump’s criticism showed no sign of letting up, insisting that the message “the world needs to hear today” is one of peace and dialogue.
Leo spoke to journalists aboard the papal plane en route to Cameroon as he continued his Africa visit. He made no mention of Trump’s latest social media post or the suggestion by Vice President JD Vance, a Catholic convert, that he should “be careful” when speaking about theology.
(Spectrum News NY1/Roger Clark)
New NYC exhibit highlights art of self-made artists
“Self-Made: A Century of Inventing Artists” is a new exhibition at the American Folk Art Museum focused on how artists without formal training have depicted and defined themselves on their own terms.
Admission to the museum is free. NY1’s Roger Clark got a firsthand look.